Florida drivers feeling the need for speed

Florida may be the slowest state in the union at counting votes, but Sunshine State drivers sure know how to hustle.

Speeding drivers are more likely to be ticketed in Florida than in any other state, according to a recent study of national traffic data examined by CarInsuranceQuotes.com and packaged online to sell auto insurance.

While the study neglected to identify something useful for consumers, such as what company charges the most for auto insurance, the data once again bestows upon Florida a dubious distinction.

Though Florida does not rank among the 15 states with the highest speed limits — Texas tops that list with a posted speed limit of 85 miles per hour on some highways — the Sunshine State is home to one of “the worst cities for speed traps”: Waldo in Alachua County, according to the data.

Florida also ranked 10th on the list of “worst states for speed traps.’’

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, police issued 17,995 non-criminal traffic citations for speeding above the posted limit in 2011 — the same year examined by CarInsuranceQuotes.com.

Another 6,132 citations were issued to motorists driving too fast for conditions, according to state data.

To compile the rankings, CarInsuranceQuotes.com plumbed a variety of state and national data from public and private sources, including the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, CNBC.com, Governors Highway Safety Association, JoeTaxpayer.com, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the U.S. Census Bureau.